70 
appreciate his own peculiar powers. It was this 
consideration that induced him to adopt a most 
rigid system of frugality. _He looked forward to 
a period when he might be enabled, by the fruits 
of his own industry, to visit the great scenes of 
the fine arts in Europe; and the care with which 
he treasured the money that he received for his 
portraits was rewarded even at the time with the 
assurance of realizing his expectations. The 
prices which he first fixed for his portraits, were 
two guineas and a half for a head, and five guineas 
for a half length. 
X. After what has already been mentioned of 
the state of Society in Pennsylvania, it is needless 
to say that at the period to which these memoirs 
refer, there were but few pictures in the Bri- 
tish Plantations; indeed, without any other ex- 
planation, all that should be contended for by any 
person who might imagine it necessary to advo- 
cate the pretensions of Benjamin West to be 
placed 
in 
the 
list 
of 
original 
and 
self-instructed 
astists, would be readily granted, upon stating the 
single fact, that he was born in Pennsylvania, and 
did not leave America till the year 1760. At the